It is a letter that has so far gone unanswered. In a letter, the NGO Amnesty International urges Emmanuel Macron to be more transparent about arms sales. Who are they sold to? Under what conditions? To pressure the Executive, a petition invites those who want to join the movement.
143,000 supporters
The sale of weapons is not a business like any other. Therefore, it has to fulfill specific obligations, as stipulated in the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) ratified by France in 2014.
However, as Amnesty International reminds us in its petition launched in 2019, which registers more than 143,000 supporters, one of these conditions is to “not to approve arms transfers if there is a significant risk that these weapons will be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. »
However, emphasizes the NGO, France exports weapons to countries such as Egypt, “who is experiencing an unprecedented suppression of human rights”. “It is also one of the main suppliers of military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, members of the coalition involved in Yemen and responsible for thousands of civilian casualties. »
Campaign Obligations
In a letter to the President of the Republic, the organization recalls Emmanuel Macron of one of its pledges made during the 2017 presidential election campaign. “to bring French exports of arms, security and related equipment into compliance with the Arms Trade Treaty…”. To this day, the vagueness on this issue persists.
The NGO therefore calls on the head of state to commit to greater transparency, in particular by requiring the Ministry of the Armed Forces to address the deficiencies identified in its successive annual reports on arms exports. The aim is to provide parliamentarians with the necessary resources to exercise their oversight.
“The principle of transparency is also essential for civil society to have the right to audit and assess France’s compliance with its international obligations.”concludes the NGO.
A few months before the upcoming presidential elections, this commemorative photo is more than welcome. To make your voice heard and sign the petition, it’s here.